NEGATIVE equity can prove a bankable asset to get York City in prime condition for the August 14 big kick-off.

Reflecting on his side’s 1-1 draw at home to Hartlepool on Saturday, City chief Martin Foyle reckoned there were too many errors.

And as he revealed the arranging of another pre-season friendly to get yet more game-time into the legs of his injury-hit squad, he was hopeful the minus side of Saturday’s final outing against Football League opposition would act as a spur for the start of the 2010/11 campaign.

Said Foyle: “Against Hartlepool we went to 4-3-3.

“We had been working on it over the last couple of days before the match after it had gone so well for us in the last half-hour against Scunthorpe.

“It had its plusses, but there were also quite a few minuses. And it doesn’t really matter which system you use, if you give the ball away too much then you’ll struggle to get anything out of a game.”

However, while he was not over-pleased with the display against Hartlepool, Foyle was not too dismayed by the timing of the fall in City’s pre-season standards.

“In a way I am glad there’s been a few negatives now,” said the City manager.

“There are pre-seasons where you sail through everything and then do not reproduce that form when the season starts.

“This will help to keep the players on their guard so they are ready to snap into business when the season starts.”

Foyle then disclosed that his charges will face another newly-arranged pre-season friendly tomorrow.

He has fixed a game away to UniBond League side Market Drayton who are based in the Stoke area from where he played most of his career with Port Vale.

And the extra outing – ahead of next Saturday’s trip to North Ferriby – might not be the only added fixture to City’s pre-season schedule.

Foyle said that if he feels his squad haven’t got enough match practice in the tanks, then he might set up a match after next weekend’s trek to Humberside in the days leading up to the start of the Blue Square Bet Premier season at home to Kidderminster on August 14.

“This pre-season has gone as well as I have expected, but I have been frustrated about the players we have out injured,” declared the City boss.

“We’ve got six players in the treatment room – Chris Carruthers, Greg Young, Duane Courtney, Dean Lisles, Neil Barrett and George Purcell – who have not had enough game time.

“There are players who have played against Hartlepool who have also not played enough in the pre-season.

“What I judge things on in pre-season is how many minutes game time the players have managed to get in, so there could be another friendly after the North Ferriby fixture.”